Take Actions For Your Heart
by Dr. Indrajeet Tyagi and Dr. Iranna Hirapur 

Heart diseases are the leading causes of death globally, in the United States, and in India. In 2021, heart diseases alone accounted for approximately one-third of all global deaths. In 2023, 919,032 (22% of total deaths) people died from these diseases in the United States whereas in India, these diseases caused about 27% of total deaths. But these diseases can often be prevented by adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle as they help you reduce the risk of heart diseases and its risk factors such as lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

What actions one should take to protect his/her heart?

1 Get enough quality sleep: Lack of sleep or poor-quality sleep increases the risk of having high blood pressure, heart disease, and other medical conditions. 1) Try to aim for 7-8 hour of sleep a night. 2) Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. 3) Exercise regularly, but not within 2-3 hours before bedtime. 4) Avoid caffeine and nicotine in the late evenings.

2. Have wholesome diet: A simple and balanced eating plan can help lower your high blood pressure and improve your cholesterol. 1) Follow the dietary approaches to stop hypertension by eating more whole grains, minimizing processed foods, using healthy, heart-friendly fats, limiting salt and sugar intake, and maintaining strong digestive power. These can help you create a heart healthy eating style for life. 2) Read nutrition labels to pick the food lowest in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar. 3) Try lean meat, eat fish once or twice a week, and eat more meatless meals each week. 4) Consider whole fruits, dried fruits, unsalted rice murmura, roasted chena, fat-free and low-fat yogurt, or raw vegetables as a snack. 5) Use heart-boosting spices such as turmeric, garlic, and cinnamon in your cooking. 

3. Maintain a healthy weight: Maintaining a healthy weight is important for overall health and can help you prevent and control many diseases and conditions. 1) Choose healthy snacks like fresh fruits, vegetables, yogurt, or nuts, instead of sugary or high calorie snacks. 2) drink enough water not soft sugary beverages. 3) Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate -intensity aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity (like running) exercise per week. 4) Consider keeping a log of what you eat throughout the day and count your calories and measure your weight every month.

4. Regular physical activities: Getting enough physical activity helps to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. 1) Adults should spend at least 150 minutes (2.5 hour) each week doing physical activity. 2) Sit less, if possible, take stairs or park your vehicle further away. March in open place or take walk around the block. 3) Try working in your garden or do muscle-strengthening activities like lifting light weights, working with resistance bands, doing sit-ups and push-ups, or some forms of yoga – whatever works for you. 4) if you do not have a lot of time in your day. Even a few minutes of intense movement offers significant health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, better blood sugar control, and a boosted metabolism. 

5. Stop smoking: Any amount of smoking, even light or occasional smoking, damages your heart and blood vessels. 1) Make up your mind and make a resolution that outlines your plan for quitting. 2) Talk with your healthcare provider about local "smoke quitting" programs and products that can help you quit. 3) Join a support group as many hospitals, workplaces, and community groups offer classes to help people quit smoking.

6. Control cholesterol: Unhealthy levels of cholesterol lead to high cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart diseases. 1) Try to combine having healthy diet, physical activity, and weight management to help lower high blood cholesterol and improve heart health. 2) Eat a heart healthy diet that is low in saturated fats, as these can raise LDL Cholesterol levels. 3) Limit alcohol consumption. Drinking too much alcohol-more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women can raise your total cholesterol level.

7. Manage blood sugar: Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is crucial for heart health, especially for people with diabetes or those at a risk of developing diabetes. 1) Eat a diet, rich in whole foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. 2) Monitor your carbohydrate intake and choose complex carbohydrates like whole grains and legumes, to help control blood sugar levels. 3) Talk to your healthcare provider about how often you should check your blood sugar levels, especially if you have diabetes.

8. Manage stress. Leaning how to manage stress with healthy coping strategies that help improve your emotional and physical health. 1) Use relaxation techniques that combine breathing/pranayama, expand the lungs and increase oxygen intake and help focused attention on pleasing thoughts and images to calm the mind and body. 2) Consider mediation, as it can help to lower stress. 3) Yoga promotes relaxation and stress reduction, which can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. Yoga poses, such as chair pose, warrior pose, and tree pose, strengthen the heart muscle, and improve blood circulation.

9. Control blood pressure: Keep your blood pressure in a healthy range and keep track of your numbers. Blood pressure that ‘s consistently higher than 130/80 mm Hg can cause serious health problems. 1) Have your blood pressure checked each time you visit the doctor. 2) Use a blood pressure monitor at home to measure your own blood pressure. 3) Use blood pressure tracker to keep a record of your numbers for each reading. 4) If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, it is especially important to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.

10. Practice self-care and find social support: Daily acts of self-care can benefit your heart because self-care is heart care. Studies show that having positive social support, close relationships, and feeling connected to others makes it easier to stick to heart-healthy habits. 1) Try to do at least one positive action for your heart health each day. 2) Make a doctor’s appointment you have been putting off. 3) Ask family members and friends to text your reminders or encouragements to help you meet health goals. 4) Join an exercise class or a wight management group to connect with other like-minded people and stay motivated.

|